| The caterpillars are gregarious
and do not bother to conceal themselves as they devour the food plant.
As they grow bigger, the long yellow bristles are more distinct. In some
cases, overcrowding on the food plant causes some caterpillars to drop
off onto the ground below.
Their dirty yellow colour is a warning to predators that they are distasteful. The caterpillars natural enemies are parasitic flies and wasps and the mortality rate can be quite high at times. |
|
| A closer view of an individual caterpillar. |  |
